Why the Kremlin doesn't care
Peter Lavelle
Moscow, Russia, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Ever since Russian President Vladimir
Putin announced "political reforms" that mandate the Kremliin's appointment of
regional governors and other changes to the political order, most of the West has given
Russia a cold shoulder.
Claiming Russia is backsliding in the important area of democratic
development, the West sees Putin as a major disappointment. Putin does not like bad press.
The Kremlin has presented half-hearted explanations behind Putin's decisions, but in the
end none have been all that convincing. This should not surprise anyone -- Vladimir Putin,
in the end, really doesn't care what the West thinks about his country's domestic affairs.
Judging by what Western media has to say about Putin's Russia, it would
appear Putin and his country's future are in a cul-de-sac. There has been an enormous
outpouring of sympathy for the victims of the Beslan school hostage tragedy. But this
sentiment has been matched with distain surrounding Putin's decision to appoint regional
governors and abolish single-seat mandates to Russia's lower house of Parliament.
Putin claims his "political reforms" are necessary to protect
national security and fight international terrorism. He very well may believe this, but
most of world does not understand or agree with his logic. The outside perception of
Russia is the more Putin attempts to assure security and order at home, the more
authoritarian his rule becomes. This may be true, but does he really care what the outside
world thinks?
The Russian president is brutally pragmatic. He also makes few
promises. After almost five years in power, Putin has demonstrated that he will go to
great lengths in pursuit of national interests -- irrespective of international opinion.
When the world agrees with Russia, Putin is delighted. When the world disagrees, Putin
becomes perturbed -- but undeterred. Vladimir Putin has his own playbook for Russia that
has little to do with Western expectations.
At the moment, the West's disappointment with Putin is equal to Putin's
disappointment with the West. Putin has never claimed that he intends to import Western
institutions and values to Russia. His priorities are of a completely different order --
all very transparent.
Putin's agenda is quite simple. Reform the economy to promote sustained
growth and confront the enormous poverty that came about with the Soviet collapse in 1991.
Place the Kremlin at the center of a "commanding heights" economic strategy.
Significantly reduce the power and influence of the "oligarchs" in politics and
the economy. Secure for the state Russia's vast energy production -- as is the case in
most energy exporting countries.
There also has been a relentless pursuit of "vertical power"
to strengthen the country's sovereignty and, we are told, security. Lastly, Putin has
sought to return to Russia international prestige and respect.
From the Kremlin's perspective, progress has been made in all these
areas. The only policy area where the Kremlin can't claim much success since 1999 is its
inability to end the on-going crisis in Chechnya.
Close examination of Putin's agenda reveals that democracy and civil
society -- as understood in the West -- are missing or of minor significance. Lip service
is paid to both, but the state has done little to support either. However, considering how
the Kremlin has used the entire state apparatus against the oil company Yukos and its core
shareholders, it has had a relatively benign approach to society.
What many in the West call Putin's anti-democratic tendencies, may in
fact be his indifference to democracy. He simply doesn't see its importance in the larger
scheme of his reform project for Russia. And, given the past five years, the West should
not expect Putin to make any concession to its political values or institutions when it
comes to Russia's domestic affairs.
The West needs to get past its expectations for Russia. Russia has
chosen its own path of development with a leader who is genuinely very popular. Accepting
the situation will also lessen future disappointments in regards Russia's domestic
political order. There is so much more at stake.
Giving Russia the cold shoulder at this time is counter-productive. At
the end of the day, the Kremlin will react with indifference. This reaction is the last
thing the West and Russia need to collectively confront international terrorism and secure
a long-term energy relationship that is mutually beneficial.
Putin's recent political reforms should also finally put to rest some
political issues and illusions that have divided Russia and the West for the past decade.
The West should finally recognize that Russia is not going to become like it any time
soon. In the meantime, focus should be given to what unites Russia and the West. In this
very dangerous world, it would be an unpardonable error if Russia and the West were to
overlook what they have in common.
“The Washington Times”, October 12, 2004
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